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Treating the underlying causes of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children

Increasingly, it has become apparent that the myofunctional causes of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) begin to develop during early childhood. If these causes are left unchecked, a child’s SDB can result in a variety of childhood disorders, ranging from enlarged tonsils and adenoids to learning difficulties and behavioural problems. Rather than allow airway dysfunction to persist into adulthood, the Myosa® for Juniors (ages 2-6) and the Myosa® for Kids (ages 6-12) corrects SDB by addressing the upper airway compromise and neuromuscular dysfunction, which causes it.

By focusing early on correcting the upper airway compromise and neuromuscular dysfunction causing SDB, the Myosa® for Juniors and the Myosa® for Kids appliances ensure lifelong health complications are avoided.

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Myosa® For Juniors

Sleep Disordered Breathing treatment for children - Ages 2-6 years

The Myosa® for Juniors is a small sized appliance for children aged between two and six-years-old. The appliance is ideal for treating the causes of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) in the primary dentition stage and works by correcting the lower jaw position to open the airway, regulating the breathing and posturing the tongue in the upper jaw.

Myosa® For Kids

Sleep Disordered Breathing treatment for children - Ages 6-12 years

The Myosa® for Kids is a medium sized appliance for children aged between six and 12-years-old. The appliance is ideal for treating the causes of SDB in the mixed dentition stage and works by correcting the lower jaw position to open the airway, regulating the breathing and posturing the tongue in the upper jaw.

Early Intervention With Myosa®

Increasingly, it has become apparent that the causes of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) begin to develop during early childhood. If these causes are left unchecked, a child's SDB can result in a variety of childhood disorders, ranging from enlarged tonsils and adenoids to learning difficulties and behavioural problems. In fact, "more recent concern for upper-airway patency would seem to demand scrutiny much earlier. The age of 5 years has been suggested but even by then the face has achieved most of its adult proportion."1

SDB in children has also been recognised as causing widespread health, developmental and behavioural problems, including difficulty concentrating at school. Additionally, as well as being detrimental to the development of the face, jaws and teeth, if left untreated paediatric SDB can lead to significant and serious health problems causing poor quality of life later in adulthood.

Rather than allow paediatric sleep disorder breathing to persist into adulthood, the Myosa® for Juniors and Kids appliances correct SDB by addressing the causes and ensure lifelong health complications are avoided.

Normal nose breathing vs mouth breathing

Mouth breathing is abnormal and is one of the causes of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) problems. If a child breathes through their mouth the jaws will not develop forwards correctly.

Adults who have SDB will usually have underdeveloped jaws, which cause the tongue and lower jaw to restrict the airway. Therefore, it is important to re-learn to breathe correctly, through the nose, at all times so the lower jaw and tongue is held forward and the airway is kept open.

The Bohr Effect

It is important to be mindful that breathing dysfunction includes more than just mouth breathing. The Myosa® appliance system is also designed to reduce over breathing or hyperventilation and promote diaphragmatic breathing. Hyperventilation can lead to the loss of an excess of carbon dioxide, which can exacerbate respiratory illnesses and promote further hyperventilation. Reduced levels of carbon dioxide in the blood means that oxygen is less likely to unbind from hemoglobin and thus less oxygen exchange occurs to the body’s cells and tissues. This is known as the Bohr effect. Chest or thoracic breathing also promotes hyperventilation whereas diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing is the correct way to breathe.

Features & Benefits

The Myosa® for Kids and Juniors are myofunctional oral sleep appliances for children aged between three and twelve years old. By focusing on treatment of the upper airway compromise and neuromuscular dysfunction causing SDB, the Myosa® for Kids and Juniors ensures lifelong health complications are avoided.

Comes ready to wear so there is no fitting required.

Soft, flexible and comfortable to wear.

Repositions the lower jaw to open the airway and improve airflow for the wearer.

Regulates breathing through the mouth and promotes correct nasal breathing.

Helps to ensure the tongue is postured correctly against the palette.

Gentle on the jaw joints.

Breathing holes effectively regulate breathing through the mouth.

High sides provide good retention without moulding.

Tongue elevators holds the tongue in the correct position.

Air spring base is comfortable on the jaw joint.

Tongue tag guides the tongue forwards and upwards into the correct position.

Provides optimum jaw position and vertical opening for most patients.

myOSA® Activities

The myOSA® appliance system is also designed to reduce over breathing or hyperventilation and promote diaphragmatic breathing with selected breathing exercises. These exercises known as the myOSA® activities will teach you how to breath correctly by establishing nasal breathing, correcting tongue position as well as stretching and strengthening the oral muscles, allowing the maximum possible benefit from your myOSA® appliance.